Soil Moisture Profile Development from Surface Observations by Principle of Maximum Entropy

Abstract

In this study, the principle of maximum entropy concept is used to estimate the soil moisture profile to a depth of near 50 cm. The procedure involves the use of the surface observation as the principle constraint in physical space, and only requires that a water balance be kept at the surface so that the mean water content of the soil can be computed at each time step. Comparison to experimental data for the wet and dry phases of the infiltration cycle showed that the theoretical profile gave reasonable simulations as measured by the Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency Statistic. It was also demonstrated that the entropy principle, combined with the kinematic wave approximation, is capable of simulating the dynamic phase of the infiltration process if the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity is treated as a calibration parameter of the model. © 2010 ASCE.